Cirque du Freak Chapter 18
In this chapter we see how Darren returns home with the spider. He then feeds Madam Octa for the first time. He writes down in his diary what he likes, the same diary that allows him to write this entire story. After making sure the freak show is gone, he buys pizza to celebrate and feeds the scraps to her. He then does research into her and eventually on Saturday he lets her out of her cage for the first time, but she rewards this by lunging herself at Darren. Synopsis Darren returns home before his parents wake up and puts the spider case in his wardrobe under a pile of clothes, before he goes back to bed. He gets up again as his father calls him. He then has a quick breakfast before going upstairs again wishing he could fake being sick. He then goes to school but can't concentrate on anything, not even football. He rushes home and finds Madam Octa in the same position he left her. Darren realizes she is waiting to be fed, he then gets an empty jar from the kitchen and fills it with dead flies, bugs and a wriggly worm from his garden. Back in his room he blocks the door with a chair and puts the cage on his bed, he then feeds her one of the live insects. After devouring it quickly, she waits for more, so Darren feeds her the entire contents of the jar. He then fetches his diary from under his mattress and reveals the reason why he has been able to tell this story is this diary. For he has been writing everything down in it what has happened and will happen. It is also a great way to check the facts about all that happened. He writes down all he knows about Madam Octa and Mr. Crepsley and what she likes best as food in the diary. He then feeds her with various stuff from the fridge. The followingnight is terrible, for Mr. Crepsley is about to wake up and find his spider gone. He might start looking for her or even worse telepathically trace her back to him. Darren sits up in his bed with a cross for protection but he remembers Steve telling him you must be good in order to use a cross. At two o'clock he finally falls asleep. As he wakes up Madam Octa is still resting in his wardrobe. After school, he goes by the old theater, to find the vans of the freak show gone. To celebrate he buys a ham and pepperoni pizza. Coming home he offers both his parents and his sister Annie a slice. He later feeds the scraps to Madam Octa who really likes it, devouring every last crumb. The following days he lets her know all about his life and shows her all of his room. Then he goes to the library to do more research on spiders, finding out quite a bit of new stuff. But nothing about her species, she is unique. On Saturday he lets her out of her cage after practicing with the flute. He hasn't fed her, for animals might be lazy after having eaten. She gets out by sucking in her insides and as she does, she just stares at Darren. Then as Darren is about to play the flute, she uses that moment of slight distraction. That he takes her eyes of her for a second, to springs at him with her jaws open, aiming herself straight at his throat. Characters in Order of Appearance *Darren Shan *Angela Shan *Dermot Shan *Madam Octa *Mr. Crepsley (mentioned) *Steve Leonard (mentioned) *Annie Shan Navigation Category:Chapters Category:Saga of Darren Shan Chapters Category:Cirque Du Freak Chapters